Reflections
by yunalesca78
Summary: The inner musings of various FFX characters. Spoilers abound. All reviews welcome! *Uploaded Chapter 6: Auron*
1. The Fayth

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy X and all of its highly addictive characters and plot twists are Squaresoft's toys. I'm just playing in the toybox.  
  
Author's note: This is the first of a series called Reflections, where I attempt to get into the heads of the memorable characters of FFX. They're in no particular order, I'm just writing them as they come, but it should be interesting. All I know is that the series will begin and end with the Fayth, just like the game sort of did. Also, this is my first fanfic, so please R&R. Let me know how I can make my stories better! Please be gentle, though-I'm afraid of fire, ya? (  
  
Reflections, chapter 1 The Fayth: Endless Dream  
  
We are the Fayth. We are all that remains of the great machina city of Zanarkand, of the thousands of souls who once walked its street. This is our story.  
  
* * *  
  
There was a time, many centuries ago, when we were alive. We raised families and enjoyed good times with our friends. We walked and talked, laughed and cried, loved and fought. We sent our children to school, watched them grow and move into their own lives. We cared for our parents in their old age, and in return, our children cared for us in our old age. And, of course, we turned out in droves to support our neighbors, our friends and our children, in rousing games of Blitzball. Our lives were full, not perfect, but fulfilling. We were content.  
  
And then Sin came.  
  
In an instant, it was all over. Zanarkand's past, present, and future destroyed, reduced to a so much rubble at the bottom of a vast sea. Our families were ripped apart; the lives we worked so diligently to build were erased in the blink of an eye. Sin took away our lives, our hopes, our plans for the future, and left us frozen in the sea that used to be Zanarkand. We remain in this limbo, unable to forget, unable to let go, because we never truly died.  
  
That is why we dream. We dream of the sea, our icy underwater tomb. We dream of the past, hoping that one day, our past will help to save the future. We dream of our lost loved ones, mourning them, wishing for their peace. But most of all, we dream of Sin's defeat.  
  
Those who share our dream come to us in prayer-what an odd thought, that anyone should pray to us!-they pray to us, seeking our guidance, our power, and our supposed wisdom to aid them in their quest. They undertake long and arduous journeys just to seek us out and acquire our aid. To those who pass through our trials and find their way, to us, we grant the power of the aeons, the physical forms we have created to help them battle Sin: our dreams made flesh. They always respond with such reverence, so grateful that we have deemed them worthy of receiving the aeons; after all, there are so few who overcome the trials and learn to summon us. Yet, to those who have proven themselves, we gladly give our power, hoping that one day, one of those souls might free their world and give us rest, let us stop dreaming at last.  
  
Finally, to sleep.  
  
  
  
@}------ 


	2. Anima

Yowza! I came back for more.  
  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy belongs to Square. 'Nuff said, ya?  
  
  
  
Reflections, chapter 2  
  
Anima: Mother of Pain  
  
When I was younger, I was beautiful.  
  
No, wait. Perhaps that's not quite the right word. I was a bit too "earthy" to be considered beautiful. I spent much of my time outside, so my skin was dark and slightly chapped, having been kissed by the sun and the wind. I liked to smile and laugh, so my eyes had little lines around them. I wasn't afraid to work, either, so my hands were always calloused. But somehow, in spite of my "outdoorsy" ways-or maybe because of them-I met a man who saw me as beautiful, who won my heart and eventually asked me to be his wife.  
  
My parents disapproved, of course. They wanted me to marry someone "respectable," a man whom members of each of Spira's tribes would admire and honor. I think they wanted me to marry a maester, a religious leader. Imagine their surprise when I introduced them to my fiancé, the Guado! It was the first time I'd done anything even remotely rebellious, and to say they were displeased is an incredible understatement. As they spent more time with him, however, they came to see what he truly was: a kind, honorable man who respected and loved their daughter. They came to respect and love him as well, so they were as thrilled as we were when I became pregnant with our only child, Seymour.  
  
Shortly after Seymour's birth, however, things began to change. Not in my marriage, no. If anything, our relationship had grown stronger as we prepared for Seymour's arrival. But Seymour was half-human, half-Guado. He belonged to both tribes, but he was never truly accepted by either of them. The Guado children shunned him because of his human heritage, excluding him from their games and making fun of him when they thought he wasn't watching. The human children we encountered did the same thing; his Guado heritage was quite obvious to them, and so they ignored him, having inherited their parents' fear and mistrust of the Guado.  
  
We did everything we could to help. We offered to talk to the children and their parents. We organized games and play groups, hoping the children could overcome their prejudices and learn to live together, just as Seymour's father and I had done. Sadly, our efforts failed, and Seymour finally told us we didn't need to try anymore. He said he didn't want to associate himself with these people who hated him. "I'll show them," he said. "One day I will be great, and they will be sorry they ever made fun of me!"  
  
I cannot tell you how much it hurt, watching my only son change from a sweet, innocent child to a bitter, hate-filled man. I spent years watching him, knowing that no matter how much power he gained, he would only want more. Ironically, as he gained power, my own strength drained away. I became sick and frail, tormented with the knowledge that I had failed in my duties as a mother. I couldn't protect my son; therefore, I had no reason to continue living. I was ready to die.  
  
But that wasn't my destiny. My love for Seymour and his father was too strong, I couldn't let go of them.and so I became a fayth. Instead of going on to the farplane, I allowed myself to be sealed into this glassy pool.  
  
Now I am the aeon Anima. The pain I experienced in life has followed me to this semi-death. I didn't work as I should have to protect Seymour, so my arms are chained: I can no longer reach out and hold my husband or my child, ever again. I allowed my thoughts to torment me and tear me apart; my new body is covered with wounds that will never heal. The bandages that cover those wounds will never be enough, because I never allowed my family to comfort me, to help me through my pain. I am no longer merely in pain; I am pain. My pain is literally all I have left.and it is all Seymour has left, as well.  
  
And so I pray. I pray that somehow, someday, my son's pain will end. I pray that when his pain does end, I will be free to let go of my own pain. And.I pray that somehow, someday, someone will be able to stop my son from carrying out his terrible plans. Perhaps the young summoner, the one who now carries my aeon, will be able to find him and stop him in time. She must stop him. Otherwise, my son is truly doomed.and all of Spira with him.  
  
  
  
@}------  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Good heavens, this is way depressing! I'll take this as a sign that I should keep with the Zoloft.*snicker* Hey, thanks to Tidus_DemonStar for the review! I went a little deeper with this one, it came out quite a bit longer (and sadder), and I'm very pleased with the results. Who's next? Lulu? Wakka? Rikku? R&R. 


	3. Yuna

Disclaimer: Spira and the wonderful souls who dwell there are Square's wardrobe. I'm just borrowing some stuff from the closet.  
  
Reflections, Chapter 3 Yuna: Summoner's Journey  
  
Life is so strange. Just when you think you know what to expect, everything changes.  
  
My pilgrimage, for instance. When I became a summoner, I was prepared to surrender my life in order to defeat Sin. I knew that I would have to take a dangerous journey around the world, visiting every temple, acquiring every aeon, to become strong enough to summon the Final Aeon and defeat Sin. I knew also that the final summoning would mean my death. The summoner dies, the guardians often die as well-but Spira is saved, free of Sin for another ten years.  
  
And so I prepared for my own death. I apprenticed myself to the priests of Yevon, even against the advice of my closest friends. I learned the healing magic, my way of protecting those who would serve as my guardians. I learned to pray to the fayth, to hear their hymn. I learned the history of Spira, of Sin, and of the countless summoners who died to keep Sin at bay. Most important of all, I learned not only to stop fearing death, but to embrace it. After all, the priests taught me, I would be giving my life to protect all of Spira! Surely the lives of an entire world are more valuable than the lives of a handful of travelers! Of course, I agreed, because that was the way it was. So it was for my father, so it was for every summoner before him, and so it would be for me.  
  
My friends didn't want me to go. There are many students of Yevon, they pointed out. Many of those are already training to become summoners. Some of them have already acquired their first aeons. Let one of them go, they pleaded. Stay here. Stay safe.  
  
I told them I couldn't stay. How could anybody expect me to stand aside and wait, hoping someone else might be able to stop Sin? How could I just sit in Besaid, doing nothing, knowing that the others' pilgrimages might fail, that Sin might prevail, that my father's sacrifice might have been in vain after all? No, I had to go. I had to do my part, and my friends ultimately supported my decision, even volunteering to serve as my guardians. I've learned a lot about them.  
  
Kimahri, my strong and silent companion, turned out to be the most noble Ronso I've ever met.  
  
Wakka, who loved blitzball, gave up his career so I could pursue my own goals.  
  
Lulu committed herself to a second pilgrimage, knowing the risks and the dangers, and acutely aware of the price of failure.  
  
Rikku, my cousin and friend, did everything she could to help me-without the support of the Al Bhed, we never could have accomplished our mission.  
  
Sir Auron, who guarded my father on his pilgrimage, returned to assist me, even though my success would mean the end of his existence.  
  
And Tidus.  
  
I still see him in my dreams. In those dreams, I remember our best moments together. Most often, I remember when we were in Luca, just before the Aurochs played the Goers. He told me that all I had to do was whistle, and he would come. He told me he would be with me always. Not just to the end. Always.  
  
But that isn't the case now. You see, I learned the terrible truth about Sin. I learned that when the Final Aeon is summoned, Sin is not really defeated. Instead, the Final Aeon becomes Sin. That meant that my dear friend Lulu, who volunteered to become my Final Aeon, would spend the next ten years suffering, waiting for the next Final Aeon to release her, and for what? The cycle would have continued, as it did before. I wanted to destroy Sin. I wanted it to be over. I wanted Spira to be free from this false hope that had enslaved us for so many centuries.  
  
We defied Yevon's teachings. We defeated Lady Yunalesca in battle and continued the pilgrimage without the Final Aeon. We conquered Sin once and for all. Spira enjoys an eternal Calm, an opportunity to live in true peace at last. But how can we have peace when our entire religion was built on a lie? Who do we pray to now? The aeons are gone. The fayth are gone. They've stopped dreaming. They left our world to find their own peace, and they took two of my guardians with them. Sir Auron, of course. And Tidus.  
  
The love of my life was only a dream, a remnant of a world that died a thousand years ago. When the fayth stopped dreaming, those things they dreamed ceased to exist. He told me he would be with me always, but he's gone now, a figment of a thousand imaginations, or the most beautiful dream I ever had. He exists only in my memories now.  
  
There are times when I think my heart will split in two from the pain. There are times when I miss him so much, I want to curl up under my blankets and disappear. There are even times when I think, I shouldn't have done it. I should have allowed Lulu to become my Final Aeon. I should have followed the teachings. If I had, he would still be here with me. But then I realize that he wouldn't have wanted me to sacrifice my entire world for him to stay with me. After all, he knew what would happen to him once the fayth stopped dreaming. He knew he would cease to exist, yet he continued on the pilgrimage. He didn't tell me, even though he knew, because he wanted Spira to be free just as much as I did.  
  
I miss him. I will always miss him. I will always dream of those blue eyes, that blond hair, the great city where he lived. But I will go on, because that's what he would want. I have my own life now-and I intend to live it.  
  
Sweet dreams, Tidus.  
@}------  
Hey, I hope you enjoyed this installment! I know it's bittersweet, I almost cried while I was writing it, but it does sort of fit the general mood of the game. I yearn for my tax return, which will enable my to buy my own PS2 and a copy of FFX. The one I played before belongs to my ex, so I don't have it anymore. Sucks to be me, ya? ;-)  
  
I'm thinking to do Lulu next. I might write an entire story about her first pilgrimage-that's an intriguing thought. Ciao for now! Yunalesca78 


	4. Jecht

And now.Chapter 3!  
  
Mandatory disclaimer: I don't own these people. Square does. I just like to poke around in their heads.  
  
Author's note: This one's rated PG, because of mild language. I don't typically swear, but Jecht does (if I remember his character correctly). So I self-censored.  
  
* * * *  
  
Reflections, chapter 4  
  
Jecht: The Final Aeon  
  
I'm the first to admit, I haven't exactly lived a saintly life. Well, not the first, maybe. I'm sure anyone who ever had to be near me would tell you that I was a solid gold a**, which of course I was. Not that I would have admitted it when I was alive, but, having been Sin for ten years, I've had plenty of time to think.  
  
My greatest asset - my gift, if you want to call it that - was my athletic ability. I was a blitzball player, had been since I was a child, for as long as I can remember. I was good, too. In fact, I was the best blitzball player in the history of Zanarkand - that's what everybody said, anyway. I was stronger than the other players, faster, more agile, and I could score like nobody's business. I even had a move named after me! Can you believe it? There wasn't a player in Zanarkand, or in all the world, who could perform the move I invented. The Jecht Shot, they called it. Impossible to stop.  
  
I guess you could say the Jecht Shot was my claim to fame, since it made me a superstar. Overnight, I became the great Jecht, the unstoppable one, the guy you'd hate to meet in a blitzball sphere if you were the other team's goalie. Wherever I went, I found myself surrounded by adoring fans, little kids who practically idolized me, wanted my autograph, wanted blitzball lessons, wanted to know how to do this move or that. It was great! I wasn't a nobody trying to make it big. I was famous!  
  
Ultimately, though, my fame doomed me. I became proud, conceited, completely unaware of the needs of others. At first it was just the team, complaining that I was getting too big for my britches, that I was taking all the credit for the team's success. "It's the Zanarkand Abes, man, not Team Jecht!" they would scold me. I ignored them, or worse, hurled nasty insults at them. After all, I was the captain of the team, the high scorer, the one who was envied and admired by all! If it wasn't for me, there wouldn't be any glory to steal! They should feel privileged to have the great Jecht on their team!  
  
That was bad enough, but then I began to take the same attitude with my own family, especially my son. The boy would follow me to practice, his eyes wide with admiration as he watched us hone our skills. It wasn't long before the little tyke started to play himself - well, he tried to play. There wasn't much he could do at first, since he had to teach himself. He had talent, though - God, yes, he had talent! Before he even hit puberty, he was playing on school teams, receiving decent instruction, learning from the other players. That was when people started comparing him to me, saying he had inherited all his old man's talents and then some.  
  
"Better watch out, Jecht," my wife once advised me. "He'll be taking over your job soon."  
  
I know, I know, I should have been proud of my kid, happy that I could pass my skills on to him. Instead, I panicked. If he was as good as everybody said he was, what would become of me? All I could think of was myself: that I wouldn't be the legendary Jecht anymore, that I was about to get knocked off my throne by some upstart kid - not just any upstart kid, but my own son! A child! My fragile ego and I couldn't stand the thought. So, when he approached me and asked me to be his trainer, I blew up at him.  
  
"H*** no!" I roared. "You think you're so great, fine, but you're not taking up any of my training time!" And since then, my family and I have done nothing but fight.  
  
* * * *  
  
It was the pilgrimage that changed me.  
  
God knows it wasn't instant. When I first met Braska and Auron, I was a stranger from a place that didn't exist anymore, in a world that confused and frightened me. Plus, I was still incredibly selfish. So what if their world was in danger? So what if this "Sin" thing could wipe out Spira and everyone in it at any time? I didn't care. I just wanted to go home, not even to my family, but to blitzball, the oh-so-important game I'd devoted my life to. That's why I agreed to go on the pilgrimage. Thought I'd find a quick way home.  
  
But, like I said, I changed. Here in Spira, I couldn't hide behind blitzball. Oh, I played a few games in Luca, but Auron made sure I remembered what I was supposed to be doing.  
  
"This is a pilgrimage, not a pleasure cruise," he told me. "You're here to protect Braska. Don't forget it."  
  
Good old Auron. He always had a way with words.  
  
After that little conversation, I couldn't really leave the pilgrimage. I stayed on as Braska's guardian, and he taught me about life. Sure, he annoyed me at first, talking about saving the world from Sin and doting on his daughter and all, but soon his comments and stores started to make an impact. Instead of being stuck on myself, I found myself thinking about all the people I'd hurt.  
  
I thought about Braska's little girl, Yuna. If we succeeded on the pilgrimage, if we managed to defeat Sin, she would have to grow up without her father. Our victory would also be a terrible personal loss for her.  
  
I thought about my wife, who for some crazy reason tried to love me, no matter how much I hurt her.  
  
Most of all, I thought about my son, and I realized that he had already grown up without his father, not because I was dead, but because I was too busy to spend any time with him.  
  
When we met Lady Yunalesca, it didn't take long to make up my mind. I wanted to become Braska's Final Aeon.  
  
* * * *  
  
So, here I am, the great Jecht, stuck inside Sin. Was it worth it? Maybe. We stopped Sin, didn't we? We saved Spira - I guess that counts for a lot. Was it selfish? Of course! During the pilgrimage, I realized how much damage I had caused, how many people I had hurt. I thought that this "noble sacrifice" might erase some of my mistakes. Thought I could atone for my sins, so to speak. Besides, I was a stranger, thrown into this world by some freak accident. My wife and son were lost to me, had been for almost a thousand years. Auron and Braska didn't like it, but they were decent men. They understood what I wasn't saying: that I needed absolution, some way to get rid of my own guilt, at least some of it. They agreed to let me become Sin.  
  
* * * *  
  
Tidus is here now, in Spira, guarding Yuna on her pilgrimage as I guarded Braska on his. Yeah, it was a bad idea - good old Jecht, screwing things up for his son yet again. Why? Because this Sin cycle sucks. Because Tidus is smart and might be able to figure out a way to actually kill this d*** thing. Because I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, I can see him one more time. Apologize for my mistakes, for screwing up his life. I want to tell him, I'm proud of you, kid, real proud. I'm sorry I messed things up for you. And, even though it's sappy: I love you, kid.  
  
If that happens, then maybe I can rest in peace.  
  
@}------  
  
* * * * Well, whaddaya know? You go almost a month without a single idea, and all of a sudden, wham! Not just one idea, but three! Jecht, Seymour, and Yunalesca, I magically sprouted ideas for all of them. Seymour might grow into his own little story, though, because I have interesting plans for that one.  
  
I'm a little worried that this one might have had some OOC going on, since I haven't played the game in five months and have gotten foggy on some of the details. Plus, as fascinating as Jecht is, he is really hard to write, at least in this style. So, please R&R - I welcome constructive criticism!  
  
Also, did Lulu go on two pilgrimages before Yuna, or just one? Someone asked me in a review and I didn't know the answer. Doh!  
  
Yunalesca78 


	5. Yunalesca

*blinks rapidly*19 reviews on only 4 chapters! Holy cow. Well, I know which project I need to focus my efforts on, don't I? *lol*

A/N: I thought about calling this chapter "Spiral of Death," but last night I fought Yunalesca (defeated her with overkill, in fact), and I couldn't help but notice the in-game description at the top of the screen: "_Reaper of souls._ Vulnerable to holy magic." Way too cool to pass up.

* * *

Reflections, Chapter 5

Yunalesca: Reaper of Souls

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"I will conquer it…without false hope." –Yuna to Yunalesca

They call me Lady Yunalesca, the first High Summoner. They come to me in reverence and awe, the journeyers of the long road, those summoners who have become strong enough to defeat Sin. They beseech me to grant them the power of the Final Aeon, and I willingly do so. How could I not? I look into their eyes, and I see the hardships and the trials they have endured. I ask them to choose, and their faces reveal shock, fear, anger, sorrow…and, eventually, acceptance. The summoners understand the choice they must make. They accept the necessity of the sacrifice, as do their guardians. They willingly give their lives, and those of their closest companions, to bring Spira hope.

But this girl, Lord Braska's daughter…she is different from the others. I look into her eyes, and what do they reveal to me? Weariness, yes. The pain of betrayal. The shock of disillusionment. She has taken a most unusual path on her pilgrimage; she and her companions have performed unthinkable acts on their journey, and they have suffered terrible consequences. She has even learned of Sin's true nature, a revelation that has driven summoners older and wiser than this child to turn away from their path. Yet underneath the suffering lies a hope so strong that it inspires both awe and terror. I see the fire in her eyes, her guardians' determination as they rally around her, and I know that I have no choice.

__

"Let me be your liberator…"

* * * *

Many years ago, no, _centuries _ago, I was young and idealistic and a bit foolish, not unlike the young summoner who stands before me now. I stood in a position very similar to hers, watching the world fall apart around me. It was at the height of the great war between Zanarkand and Bevelle, and as powerful as our summoners were, we were no match for Bevelle's unholy machina. We knew we were doomed, we knew our city would perish and fade from memory, but we could not accept our fate.

Years earlier, my father had devised a way to seal living souls inside stone statues. These souls are the fayth; their dreams bring the aeons into existence and make memories into solid objects. Now, he said, he had discovered another secret: he could join not a hundred souls, not a thousand souls, but _every soul in Zanarkand_ into one incredibly powerful fayth. This would be our last and greatest summoning: a dream strong enough to bring our Zanarkand back from its death. Our world would exist forever, Yu Yevon promised. Not even the mighty machina of Bevelle would be able to destroy us!

But I learned the truth behind my father's ambitious plan. Yes, he wanted to save Zanarkand, and this great summoning would allow him to do so. However, the joining of so many minds for one single purpose also had the potential to create an aeon of unimaginable power. This was what my father truly wanted: to summon the ultimate aeon and exact revenge on Bevelle.

Instead of becoming a fayth, I escaped Zanarkand, hoping to find a way to defeat the instrument of death my father had become. With my husband Zaon at my side, I travelled across the whole of Spira, warning the population about the monster that would later be named "Sin." At the same time, I was becoming stronger as a summoner, building the bonds that allowed my aeons to grow with me…and finally, after two years, I understood what was necessary to defeat my father. I understood why no ordinary aeon could stop him.

The strength of an aeon is dependent on its bond with its summoner. The stronger that bond is, the more powerful the aeon becomes. To defeat Sin, I would need an aeon with whom I was intimately acquainted. I needed a bond of love, one so strong and so true that the hate-filled Sin would crumble before it. I needed this aeon to be devoted enough to sacrifice itself for me, for Spira. Naturally, there was only one person who could fill that role.

And so Zaon and I returned to Zanarkand, the place where it all started. Zaon became the first Final Aeon, and I the first High Summoner. Zaon's soul remained trapped inside Sin, and I…I stayed behind of my own free will, able to grant the Final Aeons to others, doomed to continue the spiral of death for all eternity.

* * * *

I have become a fiend. I was Lady Yunalesca, the first High Summoner. To the world, I am the eternal bringer of hope, the one who bestows the Final Aeon upon the worthy. Perhaps, at some time in the forgotten past, that is what I was. But my past is gone. Whatever I was, whatever I might have been, is forever lost to me. Now I am the reaper of souls, the destroyer of summoners and their guardians. I take the lives of these innocent, willing pilgrims and present them to my father--Yu Yevon--Sin--in exchange for a few years of peace.

Will it ever end? Will Spira ever break free from this spiral of death? I am weary, a dead soul trapped in a dead world. Perhaps it is for the best, then, that Lord Braska's daughter and her guardians--one of whom is dead by my own hand--should strike me down. Perhaps it is time to let go…allow myself to rest…allow my father to release Spira from its sorrow. I only regret that these sacrifices have been in vain, thousands of deaths rendered meaningless by the loss of the only weapon proven to defeat Sin.

__

"Zaon…forgive me…"

* * *

As I played through that whole gut-wrenching scene with Yunalesca, I found myself fascinated by her character. She's caught in the spiral just as surely as anyone else in Spira, forced to remain behind after her death as the only person who could create an aeon powerful enough to defeat Sin. Perhaps she was like the fayth, unable to keep going any longer…or maybe somewhere deep inside, she wanted to believe there could be an Eternal Calm. I have lots of theories, which may be explored at a later date in another story. *evil snicker* 

For now, though, it's 12.30 a.m. and I'm falling asleep. Don't forget to R&R--I'll return the courtesy, I promise. 'Night y'all! ^_^


	6. Auron

I don't own Auron. Believe me, you'd know if I did. *evil cackle*

Contains references to Jecht and Braska, of course, but there is no romance and definitely no yaoi involved. Just recollections of friendship.

* * *

Reflections, chapter 6

Auron: Legendary Guardian

It's been ten years…

Ten years since Lord Braska's Calm began. Ten years since I watched my companions--my friends--die that terrible, senseless death. The years of living in limbo, trying to fulfill the promises I made to Braska and Jecht.

It's been ten years since I died.

* * * *

When I first met Braska, I was a brash young man, barely out of my teens. Thanks to my skills as a swordsman, I was rising quickly within the ranks of the warrior monks. I seemed destined to remain within the temple walls, protecting those within from any harm, physical or otherwise. Being well suited for temple life, I accepted my destiny without question, even welcomed it.

Then came the proposal. My downfall.

That offer of marriage threw my rigidly disciplined world into utter chaos. To marry a high priest's daughter--most would jump at such an opportunity, and why should they not? The priests of Bevelle were well provided for; they had all the wealth and all the material comforts Yevon could possibly provide. The children of such a marriage would lack for nothing. Furthermore, the marriage would serve to strengthen the ties between the temples and those who protected them. It would be so…_practical._ With this "reasoning" in mind, I agreed to meet the high priest's daughter.

Liena turned out to be both beautiful and intelligent. She had a keen intellect, a quick wit, a dry yet intriguing sense of humor, and of course, a great respect for Yevon, the temples, and the work of the warrior monks. We would have made a good match. There was no particular reason not to accept the proposal.

But…I did not love her. In time, I believe I could have grown to enjoy her company, the presence of another human being to drive away the loneliness a young man often feels. But love? That was inconceivable. I simply couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with any woman, let alone one who had been chosen for me by someone else. Thus, I made what many would call the biggest mistake of my life: I refused the proposal.

There were consequences, of course; one does not refuse the hand of the high priest's daughter without paying a penalty. I was removed from the ranks of the warrior monks, cast out of the temple--but not before my former comrades came together to exact a rather harsh punishment upon me. That punishment was severe enough that Braska, the city's strongest white mage even at that time, had to work through the next two nights to heal my wounds.

In the days following my decision, I found myself spending much of my time with Braska. The man had a true gift for healing others, both physically and emotionally, along with an endless store of patience. He kept a close eye on me for several weeks, making sure I didn't do anything else foolish or irrational--quite a task, as my sake jug and I attracted no small amount of trouble in those days. When I learned that he was to become a summoner, I offered to become his guardian, unwilling to lose the companionship . He accepted my offer, and the rest, as they say, is history.

* * * *

After the Final Summoning, after Lord Braska became High Summoner, after both of my friends died--I couldn't handle the grief. I was young, well trained as a warrior monk but inexperienced in the ways of the world. I had never lost anyone dear to me, and the pain of loss clouded my thinking and toyed with my thought processes. In this unstable state, I made an extremely poor choice: I decided to go back to Zanarkand and exact revenge on Lady Yunalesca. I truly believed that ending her existence would be enough to stop the cycle of Sin, summoners, and sacrifice. Simplistic, I know, but I couldn't see past my own pain. I didn't think; I simply _acted._

I gained nothing by confronting Yunalesca. She struck me down easily, ending my pain by ending my life, and I awoke mortally wounded, barely able to get Yuna out of Bevelle before I died. Yes, I awoke as an unsent, but I also awoke with a new purpose: to watch over Lord Braska's daughter and Sir Jecht's son, as I had promised to do. I vowed to guide and protect them, to the best of my ability, until they were ready to end Spira's sorrow once and for all.

* * * *

Her eyes meet mine, and she hesitates. _"Sir Auron…?"_

I hold my hand up to my face, examining it closely through my good eye. A single pyrefly flutters away from my now semi-transparent body--_"a memory set free," _Braska would probably say. I close my eyes, but I can still hear soft gasps from Yuna's remaining guardians. I'm sure this is quite a shock for them; other than Tidus, none of them knew I was unsent.

The last High Summoner grips her staff tightly, as though the last of her resolve might vanish if she drops it. Understandable, of course. She grew up thinking of me as Sir Auron, the legendary guardian who accompanied her father on his pilgrimage. Discovering that I have been dead all along must be frightening for her. Briefly, I consider staying…but no. I have fulfilled my promises at last; the business that tied me to this world has been completed. Spira's sorrow is forever vanquished, as Braska and Jecht and I wished it could be. It is time for my story to end. 

I look at her, at the friends who surround her, and say the words that will allow her to complete her last sending.

__

"…Don't stop."

* * *

Have you ever had Auron stuck in your head? Let me tell you, it's quite an experience. He's a fascinating character who makes for an equally fascinating, yet difficult muse. I mean, you never really _know_ what's going on inside that head. On the plus side, I got to vicariously be Auron. ^_^

Anyway, it may be a while before I update again, since a) I'm going to write Seymour, as several reviewers have mentioned, and b) I'm starting a great big AU fic, tentatively titled "Final Fantasy X: Apocalypse." Yeah, it's very AU. How AU? Gotta read it and see. :-D

Thanks to everybody who's been reviewing--don't forget to do so on your way out. Love and hugs and chocolate chip cookies to all my awesome reviewers! (::)


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